Education Review Issue 2 | March 2018 | Page 8

news New teacher sex laws Bill will close loopholes and include penalties for teachers who do not directly teach the victim. T he NSW government has introduced harsher penalties for any teacher found to have a sexual relationship with a student. The Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 will close existing loopholes and expand sex offence penalties to include teachers who do not directly teach the victim. The amendments will mean that jail time could be given to offenders who do not provide instruction, such as principals, and other staff employed at schools such as counsellors or year advisers. Future of independent boarding schools uncertain Independent schools not coping with administrative burden of ABSTUDY. U nless urgent changes are made to the structure and level of ABSTUDY funding, independent boarding schools – particularly for Indigenous students – may become a thing of the past, the Independent Schools Council of